Birthday Tradition
by Laura Roslin
Summary: Kara throws Alex a surprise birthday party at the DEO. Also, there's birthday flying. Kalex.
The high frequency beeping of her phone alarm woke Kara out of a light slumber. Moving as little as possible, she reached her free hand out to her bedside table and tapped at her phone screen until it was silenced. Kara laid still for a moment, feeling the weight of her sister pressing against her back. She smiled, thinking about the day ahead, then gently began prying Alex off of her. Kara held her breath as she felt Alex's eyelashes flutter against her skin.

"Where?" Alex mumbled into Kara's shoulder as she tightened her embrace.

"Choco Tacos," Kara whispered back as she turned her head and kissed Alex's forehead. "Go back to sleep," she continued, as she eased out from under Alex's arm and rolled off the edge of the bed. Kara grabbed her pillow and tenderly tucked it against the brunette.

"Mmpf," Alex replied, burying her head in the pillow.

Alex sighed as strode through the entryway of the DEO. She had a long day ahead of her before she could get back home to Kara. She frowned at the lack of activity past the check-in area, but quickly forgot about it when she suddenly found herself with an armful of enthusiastic Kryptonian.

"Alex!" Kara beamed, as she picked the agent up and twirled her around, her cape flaring out around her, "you're here!"

"Oof!" Alex exclaimed as Kara finally set her down. "Yes, I am. Here. Where I work," Alex replied, squinting up at her sister. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you again," Kara said with a shrug as she led the two of them to Alex's office.

Alex unlocked the door and stepped inside, flipping on the lights as Kara followed her in. She regarded Kara fondly as she closed the door behind her. "We just saw each other."

"I know," Kara shrugged, "but I missed you," she murmured, grasping Alex's hips and pulling her closer. She tilted her head down, brushing her lips lightly against Alex's.

Alex wrapped her arms around Kara's neck and drew Kara more firmly to her. She reluctantly pulled away a few moments later, dropping her arms so that they rested on Kara's elbows. "As much as I would love to spend the day with you," she murmured, "we both have work, and bosses that are probably looking for us. So you," she said, taking a step back and grinning, "need to go make sure the queen hasn't expired, and I," Alex continued as Kara giggled, "need to go find Hank."

"I'll come with you!" Kara chirped, grabbing her sister's hand and pulling her out of her office and down the corridor towards the command center. "I needed to see Hank anyway," she explained, bumping Alex's shoulder with her own as they turned down another empty hallway. Kara squeezed Alex's hand and grinned at her.

As the two passed yet another empty room, Alex started to worry. "Where is everyone?" she wondered aloud. She tried to stop but was hurried along by her caped companion. "Kara, if something's going on—"

"SURPRISE!"

Alex jerked to a stop, staring at the roomful of agents in front of her. "Kara," Alex started as she quickly glanced around the command center, taking in the sporadically placed balloons and giant HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX! banner. "What did you do?"

Kara stepped in front of her sister and spun around. "Surprise?" she offered sheepishly. She slid back a few steps as Susan rolled a large cake between them.

Alex raised a hand to cover her eyes as a mostly off-key rendition of "Happy Birthday" started up. As the last 'you' faded, she raised that hand and waved weakly at the grinning agents surrounding her.

Kara bounded over to Alex. "I wanted to have candles, but Hank wouldn't let me," she pouted, "even though I HAVE FREEZE BREATH," she finished loudly as she glared at the director over the tops of the heads of the agents lining up for cake. "He was surprised when I told him it was your birthday," she continued as Alex reached for her hand. Kara laced their fingers together as Alex pulled her across the room. "Actually," she said, tugging Alex to a stop, "no one knew it was your birthday."

"Yeah, and I hoped it would stay that way," Alex muttered, glaring around the room as she led Kara towards an empty lab.

"Alex, you're surrounded by spies. I'm _pretty_ sure they can find out when your birthday is," Kara scoffed, waving cheerfully at Vasquez, who smiled and saluted Alex with her fork.

Alex closed her eyes and groaned, "You know we're not really spies—"

"Yeah, yeah, secret agents, whatever," Kara said waving Alex off as they stepped into the lab. "The point is, they're all super smart, and everybody loves cake."

"Hear, hear," Lucy cheered as she walked into the room, a large corner slice balanced in one hand and a cone-shaped hat that said BIRTHDAY GIRL in the other.

"I will murder you," Alex said as she glared at Lucy.

"Geez, good thing she's not the one with the heat vision, huh?" Lucy said, nudging Kara in the side. Kara snort-laughed. Lucy teasingly offered the hat to Alex. "C'mon, Agent Danvers, don't you want everyone to know who the birthday girl is?"

"Please, Alex?" Kara asked imploringly, clasping her hands under her chin "Please, please, please?"

Alex crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow as Kara pouted at her. "Fine," Alex huffed, snatching the hat out of Lucy's hand and sticking it on her head. "You get one minute."

"Yay!" Kara squealed, bouncing on her toes and clapping her hands. She held her phone out to Lucy. "Picture time!"

Lucy smirked as she held up the phone and focused it on the two women. "Okay, Danvers, big smiles, this one's for the break room!"

As soon as Alex reached Kara's apartment that night the door was flung open and Alex felt herself being lifted off the ground for the second time that day. She relaxed into Kara's embrace as she felt her sister float them over to the couch. The two women snuggled for a few minutes before Kara reluctantly pulled away.

"Are you hungry?" she asked gesturing to some bags on the coffee table. "I stopped by that food truck you like, and I found that weird Danish show Lucy was talking about the other day if you want to give that a try."

Alex grinned as she sat up. "I could definitely eat," she admitted, grabbing one of the bags and pulling it onto her lap.

Four episodes later Kara was fully sprawled out along the couch, head in Alex's lap. "This is even weirder than Lucy said," she complained. She looked up at Alex, who had her head leaned back and her eyes closed. "Hey," Kara said, reaching up and poking Alex's cheek, "I know you're not asleep. Wake up."

Alex smiled, but otherwise didn't move.

"C'mon," Kara begged, "You can't make me watch this alone."

"I don't know, I'm awfully comfortable here," Alex replied. Her hand reached up and began gently scratching Kara's scalp. "I'm gonna need some kind of incentive."

Kara moaned a little as Alex's fingers started carding through her hair. "What did you have in mind?"

Alex opened one eye, tilting her head towards Kara and looking at her appraisingly. "Depends," she drawled. "Did you actually get Choco Tacos this morning, or was that just a dream?"

"Oh, I got them," Kara replied, pushing herself up and walking over to the freezer. "I had to 17 different gas stations to find some," she continued as she jumped over the back of the couch, "but I got them."

"Supergirl saves the day," Alex said affectionately as Kara handed her the ice cream and leaned back into Alex's chest.

Kara sighed happily as she bit into her treat. "You still have almost an hour of your birthday left," she said, lazily picking up Alex's free hand and playing with her fingers. "Are you ready for your present?"

Alex looked down at Kara. "Are you sure?"

Kara tilted her head back as she licked her ice cream. "It _is_ a tradition," she replied as soon as her mouth was empty. "Why," she asked, twisting half around and sitting up, "do you not want to?"

"I do," Alex reassured her, "it's just, this is my first birthday since you've become Supergirl, and since we've become, well, _us_ ," she said with a small shrug, glancing away. "I didn't know if you'd want to anymore."

"Alex," Kara dragged name out, "I will always want to fly with you. C'mon," she said, squeezing Alex's knee and bouncing to her feet. She pulled Alex up and led her over to the large bay windows. "Wait," she murmured, spinning quickly and changing into her Supergirl outfit. Kara pushed open the windows then moved back in front of Alex. "C'mere," she murmured, holding out her arms.

Alex stepped forward to stand on Kara's boots. "This okay?" she asked, wrapping her arms around Kara's neck.

Kara nodded, her own arms closing around Alex's waist. "Mmm," she hummed, looking into Alex's eyes. "You ready?"

"Yeah," Alex breathed, her lips curving up involuntarily. She felt her stomach dip, then settle, as Kara flexed her knees and lifted them up into the air. They moved straight up until they were above the cloud cover. Alex turned in Kara's arms, looking out at the lights below them and the stars above. They drifted, Kara's arms snug around Alex. Alex sighed and tucked her face into Kara's shoulder. "I almost forget how beautiful it is up here," she murmured into Kara's neck.

"Very beautiful," Kara agreed, staring at Alex.

Alex groaned, elbowing Kara lightly in the stomach. "Cheesy," she chastised with a grin.

Kara smiled unabashedly back at her and shrugged. She felt Alex shiver against her, and gently maneuvered the brunette so that she was once again facing Kara. "Here," Kara said tenderly as she brought one side of her cape up to wrap around Alex. Kara bit her lip. "Can I ask you something? It's totally okay if you say no. I mean, it's your birthday, I shouldn't be asking you for anything, but if you wanted to say yes that would be cool too—"

"Kara," Alex said, squeezing her bicep gently, "what is it?"

"Can I kiss you?" Kara rushed out. "I've always wanted to kiss you up here, with the stars. Ever since I started bringing you up. But like I said, I know it's your birthday—"

Alex smiled as she kissed Kara, effectively cutting off her babbling. Kara responded enthusiastically, slowly spinning them closer to the stars as they continued to kiss. Alex broke away first, taking a deep breath and filling her lungs. She nuzzled further into Kara.

"We should probably go back," Alex said reluctantly, minutes later. She felt Kara nod against her, then the familiar dip as they started descending. They landed softly back in Kara's apartment. "Thank you," Alex said, squeezing tightly one last time before stepping back and off of Kara's boots.

Kara smiled, then picked Alex up and carried her into their bedroom. She floated them both up onto the bed, Alex underneath her.

Alex laced her fingers in Kara's hair, and pulled her down until Kara's face was inches from Alex's. "I love you, Kara," Alex whispered as she raised herself those last few inches and kissed Kara gently.

Kara smiled against her sister's lips as she lowered her body to rest fully on Alex's. She lifted her head just enough so that she could see Alex's face. Kara brought a hand up and gently traced Alex's cheekbones and mouth. "I love you too," Kara replied softly, as her lips followed the path her fingers had just fashioned. "Happy Birthday, Alex."


End file.
